Help with live rock

[slitherbomb]

Hi, I have a 40g breeder tank that has major algae problems. I'm almost 100% sure that it's my live rocks fault because I got it second hand off of Craigslist from someone who was tearing down their tank. I never got to see the tank up and running because the person took the rock out of the tank. For filtration, I'm running a 20g sump with caulerpa and chaeto. Lighting is 6x39w t5ho. Stocking is 2 clowns, 1 algae blenny, 1 small Toby puffer (all fish are smaller than 2" with the exception of the blenny) then I have a few hermits and a few snails. I honestly doubt that the stocking list can cause so much algae growth so I'm thinking that the rock may be leaking phosphates or something fueling the algae. Can someone give me any advice as to what to do? I'm honestly stumped, thinking it was just a phase, a 3 month phase. Any help is appreciated.


Oh and I top off with ro/di water exclusively.

 

[slitherbomb]

Guys, I cannot possibly keep up with all these replies! One at a time.

 

[carey]

lol....I'm sorry I don't have any input other than to say good luck. hehe...

 

[slitherbomb]

Thank you for at least replying lol. It seems like no one wants to ever reply to my posts..

 

[Gti_Leo]

lol its totally possible its the rock, you probably should have put it ina bucket and cured it for a week or so, done a few full waterchanges just to get the old water that the rocks have sucked up out and new clean fresh stuff in

 

[Mrc8858]

Perhaps you've just stumped everybody lol if I had an answer trust me id tell you : /

 

[joy13]

What I did when I got the grinches cousin for rocks off craigslist was do water changes and pull off all the hair algae as I did. I did get it under control but it took a couple of months. Also make sure the food you are feeding isn't fueling the nitrates and phosphates.

 

[slitherbomb]

Well the rock was put in my tank for about 3 weeks before any critters were put in too. I also really don't want to have to remove the algae by hand a lot of it is short fuzzy looking stuff that would be difficult to remove by hand.

 

[Gti_Leo]

do you have any pictures?

 

[slitherbomb]

I'll take a pic as soon as I can, but it's not pretty.

 

[joy13]

You are sure it is hair algae and not something else like bryopsis

 

[slitherbomb]

I know it's algae, don't know exactly what type though. Not bryopsis however.